Rant: Workplace fridge item theft

[ZigZagCardsFan]

Confession: In the past, I've used butter, on occassion, that someone put in the fridge door, for my pop tarts. But, just a modest amount once or twice. Didn't take the last serving or anything. Eating pop tarts w/o butter is pointless, afterall.

Butter on Pop-Tarts? What the hell is wrong with you?

[StL Dan]

Confession: In the past, I've used butter, on occassion, that someone put in the fridge door, for my pop tarts. But, just a modest amount once or twice. Didn't take the last serving or anything. Eating pop tarts w/o butter is pointless, afterall.

Butter on Pop-Tarts? What the hell is wrong with you?

Doesn't everyone? It is a pastry, after all.

[jim]

Maybe you should consider a kitty to pay for condiments and butter etc

That's not necessary.

[Jocephus]

confession: i put workplace fridge items in my pants then put them back where i found them

[StL Dan]

confession: i put workplace fridge items in my pants then put them back where i found them

[Sutter'sBeard]

This topic reminded me of a story from 20+ years ago. I worked in Loss Prevention at a major retailer and, on a daily basis, was dealing with employees complaining that their lunches were being stolen from the break room. Hungry employees making next to nothing tend to get pretty pissed when they get their one break from the annoying public and their food is gone. e angry

I then set up a "sting" operation by going to subway and purchasing a foot long, knowing there is no way that a fridge thief could resist. I guess this could have been considered entrapment. I then set up a covert camera about three feet above the fridge. I then proceeded to hunker down and watch the camera. About 11am I witnessed Paul, a receiving dock worker, remove the subway sandwich from the fridge and walk away. I then gathered my courage to track Paul down. I looked throughout the store and, after a few minutes, found Paul in the most remote part of the warehouse between two boxed fridges eating the subway. When I approached him, I took a a-hole tone and fired him on the spot and told him to collect his belongings, leave the sandwich, and then leave the facility and he would find out later if we were going to prosecute him for theft.

At the time, being young and stupid, it never occurred to me that maybe he was going hungry. I don't think I ever felt bad about it until just now.

[Jocephus]

hah...thats still a dick move by him and the fact he hid so far away he knew he was wrong

[StL Dan]

Gotta tip my hat to you, Sutter. It takes an uncommon level of understanding and perspective to think about the fact the kid may have been just going hungry and desperate for food.

[jim]

He wasn't going hungry, he was a thief that deserved to get fired. You did the right thing. A little justice now and then is a good thing.

[StL Dan]

I agree, jim. Stealing is stealing. Consequences must ensue. Showing some grace, at the moment, though is not necessarily a bad idea - even if it's having a personal conversation with the guy to find out what is really going on in his life. It's possible that something good could come from a bad decision on his part to steal that would last him a lifetime.